Flight of the Hippogriff a Must-Ride for all Potter Fans

Liliane Opsomer

Today, we take a look at Flight of the Hippogriff at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Hogsmeade, located inside Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure.

Below and to the right of Hogwarts Castle, next to Hagrid’s Hut, the Hippogriff is short and sweet but not worth much of a wait. An outdoor, elevated coaster designed for children old enough to know about Harry Potter but not yet tall enough to ride Forbidden Journey, the ride affords excellent views of the area within Wizarding World and of Hogwarts.

The theming is also very good, considering that this isn’t a major attraction. As a children’s coaster only slightly taller and longer than the Magic Kingdom’s Barnstormer, there are no loops, inversions, or rolls: It’s just one big hill and some mild turns, and almost half of the 1-minute ride time is spent going up the lift hill. Unfortunately, Orlando’s Hippogriff has become increasingly rough in recent years, and it is not as pleasant to ride as the identically named coaster at Universal Studios Hollywood.

For fans of Harry Potter, there are two gorgeous items in this attraction that you will want to see. The first is a faithful re-creation of Hagrid’s Hut in the queue (complete with the sound of Fang howling).

Next, there is an incredible animatronic of Buckbeak that you pass by while on the ride. Remember that when Muggles encounter hippogriffs such as Buckbeak, proper etiquette must always be maintained to avoid any danger. Hippogriffs are extremely proud creatures and must be showed the proper respect by bowing to them and waiting for them to bow in return.

Flight of the Hippogriff has a 36″ minimum height requirement and offers Universal Express. The loading capacity is slow. Visit the first 90 minutes the park is open or after 4 p.m. Have your kids ride soon after the park opens while older siblings enjoy Forbidden Journey.